Avocado Eco Organic mattress review: all-natural, bouyant support on a budget

The mattress industry is growing to offer more organic, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic mattresses. I’m all about environmentally friendly products, and I’m sure you are too. After testing foam and hybrid mattresses, the Avocado Eco Organic Mattress is the first mattress I’ve tested that is a fully “GOTS certified organic product” with “no toxic chemicals, off-gassing, chemical flame retardants, fiberglass, or polyutherane foams.” 

In fact, I was even more impressed to discover that Avocado used sustainable and ethical methods of production when creating this mattress. Perhaps even more impressive is that Avocado has managed to keep prices low, we're talking the most affordable organic mattress on the market — a queen costs under $1,000.  

But even I wouldn’t buy an organic mattress just because it’s organic. It has to be comfortable, too! So I approached this mattress review like any other I’ve done in the past: I tested it out for a few weeks to see how it impacted my body and sleep. Read on to see how this mattress made for some well-rested nights and where it holds its own among the best organic mattresses. 

Who will the Avocado Eco organic mattress suit?

• Back and stomach sleepers: It’s supportive enough to keep your back aligned whether you sleep on your front or back. That said, my father, a side sleeper, slept on this mattress for one night and he raved about its comfort.
• Sleepers who like a medium-firm mattress: The Avocado Eco Organic mattress is softer and more buoyant than the Avocado Green mattress. However, don't take that to mean it's not supportive, because it is. 
• Sustainable, organic, and environmentally-friendly buyers:  The company ethically sources materials, works to offset carbon emissions, uses recycled materials where they can, powers their factories with renewable energy, upcycles or recycles waste, and is the only mattress maker in the U.S. that uses paper to wrap their mattress.
• Those who own a platform bed: Love a box spring? Too bad. Avocado mattresses are not built for box springs. In fact, using one will ruin your eligibility under the warranty and sleep trial policies.

AVOCADO ECO ORGANIC MATTRESS: CONSTRUCTION

The Avocado Eco Organic mattress is a hybrid mattress which means it’s comprised of up to 988 pocketed coils (made from double-tempered recycled steel) and a single two-inch seamless layer of Dunlop organic latex.

According to Avocado, Dunlop latex is unique in that it is “naturally antimicrobial, cooler than memory foam, requires no adhesive to seam it together, and is more durable than Talalay latex.”

You may not be able to see the coils or the latex, but you’ll be as impressed as I was by the organic cotton outer cover. It’s incredibly soft and luxurious to the touch. Just below the cotton cover is a small layer of organic wool. In addition to acting as a natural fire barrier, wool is a non-allergen material that wicks away moisture and odor and allows the mattress to breathe.

While most mattress companies hold their materials by glue, the Avocado Eco Organic mattress is held together by recycled steel metal rings. You can’t feel them, but they keep everything in place in a healthy, non-toxic way.

WHAT IS THE AVOCADO ECO ORGANIC MATTRESS LIKE TO SLEEP ON?

Starting in April 2022, Avocado will become the first American mattress company to wrap and roll their mattresses in upcycled paper which means they’ll save up to 30 feet of plastic per mattress sold. The paper can be recycled – as can the vacuum-sealed plastic that is directly wrapped around the mattress. 

Since I received the Avocado Eco Organic mattress in February, my mattress was wrapped in LDPE-4 recyclable plastic. When the new paper wrapping goes into effect, you'll be able to recycle all the packaging, including the cardboard box. If that doesn’t make you feel good, I don’t know what will.

I placed the mattress on my queen bed and let it unfurl. It was slightly heavier than other queen mattresses I’ve tested in the past. This is typical for natural mattresses like the ones that Avocado sells. However, with the handles on the side, I was able to adjust it to fit the platform frame all by myself.

The first thing that caught my eye was the outer cotton cover. In fact, it was so soft that I mistakenly thought it was the wool layer (remember, the wool layer is below the cotton cover).

The mattress appeared to have fully expanded on the bed in less than 10 minutes, but as a mattress reviewer, I know better than to believe that, and I left it until the next day before I started testing. 

In all my research and testing, I’ve discovered that it can take my body multiple days, sometimes weeks, to adjust to a new mattress. So you can imagine my surprise when the first night of sleeping on the Avocado Eco Organic mattress, my sleep was uninterrupted, deep, and incredibly wonderful. I woke up the next morning fully rested.

Sure —when I first laid on the mattress, I thought, “This is comfortable.” In fact, when I twisted and turned in different positions, I noted that the mattress felt almost buoyant like sleeping on water. It was cozy and supportive, but not what I would consider "firm."

The mattress didn’t necessarily respond to my movements in the way that I’ve felt memory foam mattresses do, but it was nonetheless relaxing and comforting. I wasn’t necessarily over-impressed the first time I laid on the mattress, but that quickly changed. 

In the two weeks that I tested the mattress, I slept wonderfully, just as I did that first night. This is the first mattress I’ve ever tested where my body did not have to adjust. I simply laid on the mattress and had a great night of sleep every single time.

The mattress is best designed for back and stomach sleepers—which is how I typically sleep. The Avocado website says that side sleepers will find it comfortable too, but I wasn’t entirely convinced. That is, until my dad came in town to visit and slept on the Avocado Eco Organic mattress one night. 

He was very impressed, especially since he is a side sleeper and has difficulty finding comfortable mattresses. He even pointed out that he found the Avocado Eco Organic mattress more comfortable than the handful of other mattresses I’ve tested for Real Homes in the past. 

I felt like the mattress was fairly breathable and kept me cool at night. This is probably due to the hybrid design and wool component. I didn't wake up sweating or unusually warm at any point in my testing. 

The only drawbacks to this mattress — and they’re not really that intensive — are with the edge support and the motion transfer. I found these both to be average. Avocado did reinforce the sides of the mattress, and it is notably better than mattresses that lack any edge support at all. But also — I’ve experienced better. 

The same goes for motion transfer. Yes, the coils and latex do absorb some of that movement created by a partner getting in and out of the bed, but I’ve found other mattresses (generally memory foam, but not always) perform slightly better in this area.

Having said all that, these areas of average performance do not considerably sway my experience sleeping on the mattress. I could honestly care less about side support. It’s a luxury that I rarely ever acknowledge or notice even when I have it. Similarly, the average motion transfer didn’t diminish my experience either. (The noise of someone walking away or to the bed wakes me more often than someone moving on a mattress.)

Overall, my experience was incredibly positive and I look forward to more nights of uninterrupted and restful sleep. 

ORDERING, DELIVERING, AND WARRANTY

While ordering an Avocado Eco Organic mattress online is super simple and easy, you can also purchase one at a handful of stores in cities in California, Hoboken, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. They’ll soon be sold in stores in New York City and Seattle. If you have questions before you buy, you can always schedule a 30-minute Zoom call with an Avocado team member which is a nice customer service touch.

Shipping is free on all standard orders. If you want help setting up your mattress, there is an in-home delivery and set up service that costs between $249-$899, depending on the weight of the product. This service includes delivery, set up, and removal of an old mattress, foundation, or box spring.

FedEx ships the Avocado Eco Organic mattress (unless it’s a Cali King) and it’s fairly quick. I think it took about five business days to arrive to my doorstep. I must point out that Avocado was the first mattress company to be Climate Neutral Certified, which means they have made their business carbon neutral. This includes offsetting the emissions created by the shipping portion of their business. In fact, Avocado took it a step further and now operate as carbon negative which means they offset more emissions than they actually create — which is pretty cool!

Now let’s talk warranty. The Avocado Eco Organic mattress is covered by a 10-year limited warranty for defects in material and workmanship. It covers rips in the material (caused by workmanship) or a 1.5-inch indentation that’s visible to the eye and a result of a material defect. The warranty is broken down between 1-5 years (full coverage) and 5-10 years (prorated). 

In looking at their warranty webpage, Avocado doesn’t give much wiggle room on their warranty. In fact, they have explicit instructions regarding bed foundations and even mattress rotations that—if you don’t follow—could render the warranty not valid. I admire Avocado’s commitment to transparency, which is clear across all factors on their site, but in the warranty section, it comes off very specific and makes me wonder how difficult their warranty process might be.

If I were you, I’d focus less on the warranty and more on Avocado’s Sleep Trial Policy when considering whether to purchase the mattress or not. The Eco Organic Mattress and the Eco Organic Kids Mattress have a 100-night sleep trial ,are the only mattresses that do not fall under Avocado’s usual one-year sleep trial. 

That said, you have to wait 30 days before you can even request a return. This is required by Avocado because it typically does takes up 30 days for one to adjust to a new mattress. I’ve seen other companies suggest that buyers wait 30 days, but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone require a 30-day wait.

I do have to point out that there are specific stipulations that you must follow to receive a full refund under the 100-night sleep trial policy. Avocado is very specific that if you don’t use the types of beds they suggest or rotate the mattress once a month for the first six months, you may not qualify for a refund under the 100-night sleep trial policy.

I know that Avocado is trying to ensure that you have the highest chance of having a proper experience with their mattress, but I fear these strict terms and conditions may come off poorly with some customers.

HOW DOES THE AVOCADO ECO ORGANIC MATTRESS RATE ONLINE?

The Avocado Eco Organic Mattress launched at the very end of January 2022, and I wrote this review at the end of February. Most people who have received their mattress haven’t even had a full month to experience them. It’s far too early for the launch of this new mattress to consider reviews online.

I would, however, give it a 4.8 out of 5-star rating.

HOW DOES THE AVOCADO ECO ORGANIC MATTRESS COMPARE TO THE AVOCADO GREEN MATTRESS? 

We've also reviewed the original Avocado Green mattress, which is similar to the Avocado Eco Organic mattress in a lot of ways. Both are made with organic and recycled materials like wool, cotton, latex, and steel coils. It's when you examine how these materials are assembled that the mattresses differ. 

The Avocado Eco Organic mattress is 10 inches in height, whereas the Green mattress is 11-13 inches tall. The Green mattress has significantly more pocketed coils and a 3-5-inch thick layer of latex (the Eco Organic's latex layer is only 2 inches thick). The extra latex adds extra cushion while a higher number of individually wrapped coils minimizes motion transfer and offers increased pressure relief. 

While I think the increased height of the mattress may sway buyers, the most important thing to consider is the firmness scale and the price. The Eco Organic mattress is a 5 on the firmness scale, while the Green mattress rates at a 7. If you wanted the Green mattress but didn't want it as firm, you'd have to add the pillow top option for a significant fee. 

For those who want a supportive, cozy mattress, the Eco Organic mattress is the way to go. I doubt that you'd be able to notice most of the differences between the two mattresses. Did I mention it's also $600 cheaper than the Green mattress?! I love a firm mattress, so I understand the appeal of the Green mattress. However, I didn't find the Eco Organic to be "too soft." It was bouncy and buoyant, for sure, but very supportive. 

IS THE AVOCADO ECO ORGANIC MATTRESS WORTH IT? 

I’m beyond impressed by Avocado’s commitment to organic materials and the certifications and recognitions they’ve received. Avocado has managed to create a mattress that's made from organic materials and sourced ethically and sustainably at a relatively affordable price point, expanding the possibilities of who can afford their mattress. This is made possible to Avocado's vertical integration, meaning they have complete ownership of their production from the sheep and latex farms to where the mattress is assembled. 

This is all made even better by the fact that this mattress is incredibly comfortable and that I had a remarkable sleep experience while testing it out. My body didn’t have to adjust to sleeping on the mattress. My body loved this mattress. It was a comfortable, buoyant, and cozy experience all around.

The average motion transfer and side support is not really a concern in my opinion for any buyer. In fact, I found the limited warranty and 100-night sleep trial policy to be more of a drawback. But even then, it isn’t enough to sway my final thought: this mattress is well worth the buy, seven times over.

It’s so rare to find a good quality mattress, much less one that is completely organic, from an ethical company at an affordable price. Take a chance on the Avocado Eco Organic mattress, and I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s money well spent.

ABOUT THIS REVIEW AND THE REVIEWER

Alex Temblador is one of Real Homes' mattress experts — which is a good role for someone who needs over 8.5-hours of sleep each night. The Dallas-based freelance writer has covered home, design, architecture, and art in publications like Real Homes, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Artsy, Neighborhoods.com, Culture Trip, among many others. She recently bought her first home, a green Sears & Roebuck house that's over 100 years old, sits on half an acre of land and features a stunning wraparound porch, original hardwood floors, pocket doors, and a butler pantry. In addition to her mattress reviewing duties, Alex loves to try other products for Real Homes buying guides and reviews so that she can continue to expand the richness of her first-time homeowner life. When she's not sitting on her porch with a cup of tea and her laptop, you'll find the Mixed Latinx writer scrounging through estate sales and vintage shops looking for unique objects to bring 'The Starlight House' to life. 

As with all our reviews, the Avocado Eco Organic mattress has been tested first-hand in our home, using it just as you would so you know exactly what you are buying. The products are given to us free of charge and we test them for as long as possible before sending them back to the brand unless we are able to keep it as we are with this mattress. This means that we can continue to use the product which gives us the opportunity to return to our reviews for updating, so you can keep up-to-date with how it's fared over a period of time.

MORE MATTRESS REVIEWS

• Amerisleep AS3 Memory Foam Mattress review
• Allswell Mattress review
• Casper mattress review
• Dreamcloud Luxury Hybrid Mattress
• Leesa Original Mattress review
• Nectar mattress review
• Tuft & Needle Original mattress
• Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress